Twisted Path
by kuraiame16
Summary: Because the world, no matter what happened, would always continue to move forward and it was her job to make sure she didn't get lost on the twisted path ahead of her. Rated T for possible future language and violence. Self-Insert OC.
1. Beginnings

**Chapter 1: Beginnings**

**Beginning: The act of starting something.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters except for Kimiko and Haru. Cause they're mine._

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Seventeen years after she was born,

she died.

Seventeen years after she was born and killed,

she was reincarnated as Kimiko Uchiha.

And thus she became the older sister of Itachi Uchiha and heiress to the Uchiha clan by mere minutes.

She didn't think she had ever felt more terrified.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She couldn't remember the names of her parents. Not the ones that held her now, but the ones from before. It was strange, she couldn't even remember what they looked like. It makes her wonder if they were even alive during her first time of going through life.

She had stopped questioning whether or not this was reality a while ago, whether or not she would wake up any minute now in a hospital bed.

It was too painful to think she was giving herself false hope.

Every fact about her old life doesn't matter now. Everything except for the knowledge of this world has been wiped clean of purpose.

She knows who she is now though. This is her new reality.

She is Kimiko Uchiha and if she didn't start changing things within the next thirteen years,

misery would be inevitable.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She wonders what she is going to do when the massacre comes by.

She knows that her taking Itachi's place as future clan head has changed many things.

She's too sleepy to think about the rest.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

By the time they turn one and their first birthday passes, she has already learned how to crawl and is in the process of learning how to walk.

The quicker she is able to move the better.

It doesn't take long for her to conclude that her twin is a strange one. He would always be copying her and whenever she learned to do one thing, he'd learn to do the same in at least a quarter less of the time she did.

Brilliant boy indeed.

Their mother is beautiful and caring as she had clapped and congratulated them as Kimiko finally took her first step with frustrating effort.

Their father is as caring as a stoic Uchiha man could be, giving no more than a nod of approval when Itachi soon followed.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

It's a few weeks later when Itachi says his first word. She is resting on her father's shoulder when she hears him say it. "K-K-Ki-Kim-Kimi. Kimi."

She lets out a soft laugh as her mother's eyes widen in delight.

She couldn't wait for the day when he could say the rest.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Another year flies by and she's made a vow to the family she'd come to love.

She'd prevent the massacre.

She'd protect them.

She'd save her family or die trying.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Their lives as infants ends after their third birthday and they begin the training towards becoming ninja of the Uchiha clan. It isn't real training of course, just learning the beginning steps of how to hold wooden kunai along with the basics of what a child would learn in first grade.

But just because she is at least a decade past the knowledge of a six-year old doesn't mean she isn't stumped upon having to learn the stupid Japanese alphabet.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She mourns for the loss of Obito Uchiha.

She has no way of knowing whether or not he's already taken off on his mission to Kannabi bridge but she no longer sees the cheery Uchiha who once ran through the compound like no tomorrow.

So she can only mourn for the boy who has most likely fallen into darkness.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko wants to scream in frustration as she gets yet another katakana symbol wrong. This is the thirteenth failed attempt.

The only thing that stops her from hurling her ink brush across the grass then and there is the hand the gently grips her own and patiently guides her hand across the paper.

All she does is mutter a bashful thank you as Itachi smiles benevolently at her.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

The first time she meets the future mother of Naruto Uzumaki is a month later.

She blinks in surprise upon walking into the kitchen only for bright red hair to obscure her vision and hands to squish her cheeks.

"She's so cute Mikoto-chan! I can't believe I've been too busy to meet her sooner!"

Too busy for three years?

Kimiko is released a moment later and blinks uneasily into blue eyes. "Hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Kushina Uzumaki, one of your mom's friends, dattebane!"

She bows politely despite the shock coursing through her veins. "It's nice to meet you as well, Uzumaki-san. My name is Kimiko."

"Ah, don't be so formal Kimiko-chan. Just call me Kushina." Kushina winks at her and she nods her head.

It is then when Itachi decides to walk into view. The woman before her is gone in seconds and has already begun her enthusiastic greeting.

"Hey Mikoto-chan! Can I take them out for the day?"

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She finds herself unsurprised as she is taken to a ramen stand with Itachi. A large bowl of plain, miso ramen is placed in front of them to share. Kimiko looks up to lock eyes with the red-haired jinchuriki who sends her a look of encouragement before taking the first bite.

She almost finishes the whole bowl before she remembers she's supposed to share it with Itachi.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She meets the famous Yellow Flash a few weeks later when Kushina swings by again to kidnap her. Itachi decides to pass, saying that he'd rather stay home for the day. He never was incredibly outgoing.

She has to suppress a wave of shock and awe upon seeing another one of her idols face to face. "It's a pleasure to meet you Namikaze-san."

She can't help but feel an overwhelming sadness build in her chest as Minato corrects her like Kushina had once done.

They were going to die soon.

And then she feels disgusted with herself.

What gave her the right to want to try to save her family but not his?

And then she feels helpless.

What could she possibly do with an event coming far too soon?

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* * *

><p>.<p>

The beginning of everything had already been set into motion and there is nothing she could do to stop it.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

**Benevolent**: **In****tending or showing kindness.**


	2. Precious People

**Chapter 2: Precious People**

**Precious: dear; beloved.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Naruto._

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* * *

><p>.<p>

They're four when they are entered into the academy.

Itachi doesn't put an effort into making any friends, staying glued to her side every moment possible.

Not that she minds.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She is nice to all the kids there, no matter how much some of them irritate her but she makes no move to get close to them either.

Even if her patience is strong, it is not strong enough to be willing to humor children so young daily.

She is kind to all of them, but she is not inviting.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

So many of her smiles are fake.

They help her create the image she needs though.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko can't help but notice the sad smile playing on her mother's lips when father tells her she is going to be training again today.

It makes her sad to see the woman who loves her so much be pained by watching her grow too fast for her age.

"Come back before lunch you two." Her mother reminds as she waves with a new smile that covers up the sadness with seemingly relative ease.

"Ne, ne, okaa-chan," she calls out with a childish form of happiness, running back to hug her mother's legs and look up with wide and excited eyes. "Tomorrow, can I start getting up early and help you make our lunches?"

The Uchiha matron blinks back at her with surprise before smiling down at her only daughter. "Of course Kimiko-chan."

Seeing the newfound happiness shine in her mother's eyes is worth losing a bit of sleep, Kimiko decides as she runs out the door quickly before her father rebukes her.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She embraces her father's training and trains whenever possible. She had to become strong if she was going to change things.

She spends night after night reading every book available from the public library about ophthalmology in secret as well.

Of course she would never kill another Uchiha for their eyes. The very thought of the action sickens her.

It would make her no better than that one-eyed monster on the council.

But, she argues, not learning everything about the very weapon she is born with would make her a fool.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Her bones ache and she often exhausted from the lack of sleep.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She and Itachi are told of the expected arrival of another sibling.

A glance at Itachi's unnaturally excited face makes her excited as well.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kushina becomes pregnant not much later.

She tells her in secret when they go out for yet another ramen trip.

"I hope he has Minato's hair. Then they'll both have hair like the sun." Kushina says.

"I think your hair is pretty too." Kimiko comments softly.

Kushina looks like she is at a loss for words before beaming at her. "You're the second person to compliment my red hair."

"Who was the first?"

"Who else? It was Minato."

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko stares down in a daze as she takes in the adorable face of the boy five years younger than herself.

He's so innocent.

He's so pure.

She tells herself she'll make sure he never endures all the pain he's destined to.

Letting him feel none would cripple him.

Letting him feel all would cripple her.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She is found sleeping in a tree and is harshly awoken by the man who now calls himself hokage.

It results in her falling face first into the dirt and looking up vexed along with tired at the sheepish blonde.

"You're very strange for an Uchiha." Minato comments later on as he eases himself into the swing next to her.

Kimiko merely raises an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Well, for starters, it's pretty rare to find an Uchiha heiress capable of sleeping upside down like an opossum in a tree."

She glares at Minato who merely chuckles. "It's alright, I had a student who acted more like an Uchiha than his actual Uchiha teammate himself."

"What was your team like, Minato-san?" She finds herself asking even though she already knows the gist of it.

"I had two boys and one girl. Their names were Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara..."

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko sends Itachi an apologetic look as father sends him away in order to train her a little more.

He does nothing more than smile back with forgiveness.

She can't help but get distracted by marveling at his wiseness and maturity as she is sent back down into the dirt again by an unexpected, yet withheld, attack from her father.

She can't help but notice that she's slowly becoming the new Itachi.

She accepts this full heartedly.

He wouldn't have to bear the weight of heir.

He wouldn't have to feel the pressure of such high expectations.

He wouldn't have to feel the pain of watching his family be killed by his own hands before him.

Cause he was her otouto and it was her job to ease his pain as best as she could.

Letting him feel none would cripple him.

Letting him feel all would cripple her.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

The day of chaos arrives and Kimiko resists the urge to make a beeline towards Konoha's saviors.

She knows she'll be more of a hindrance than a help though.

There's nothing she can do because she's _five._

There's nothing she can do because she's still too _weak._

It's a night destined to be full of fear as she hears the cries of Sasuke and comforting words of Itachi.

It is not long after when everything explodes and she feels a chakra so constricting and terrifying that she forgets to take another breath when needed.

She doesn't dare leave Itachi's side as he carries a still crying Sasuke with unnerving calmness towards saftey.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She finds tears sliding down her cheeks as she visits the graves of them both. She traces their names numbly as cold winds blow her long, black hair to the side.

Kimiko makes another vow.

She'll save all those precious to her as long as she can help it

But that vow doesn't stop her from giving a long wail followed by sobs as if that will somehow take care of the pain of loss.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Sasuke's first word isn't Kimiko but rather "mama" much to Kimiko's dismay.

She knows it's not his fault but she can't help but glare at the one-year old child as she hands Itachi half of her secret stash of sweets.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko graduates at age seven along with Itachi but she is not placed on a team with him.

No, she is placed on a team with two boys three years older than herself and a middle aged man as their instructor.

One of them is her cousin, Ikoru Uchiha, who hates her. He is hot tempered and grouchy, coming with the standard Uchiha looks.

He wears his clothes with the Uchiha emblem stitched on proudly.

He likes Sukiyaki and hates sour food.

His dream is to become the strongest of the Uchiha clan and rule it.

It's a driven dream, but highly unlikely.

It is by the glare filled with resemtment and intense dislike that she realizes he will be a hard one to get along with.

The other is Haru Wakane who knows nothing about her except for the fact she is the class genius. He is cheerful and easy going, redish-orange hair messily covers one of his green eyes.

He enjoys miso soup and reading.

His least favorite food is red beets.

He wants to become an Iryo-nin because he likes to help people.

Kimiko likes that dream, she decides.

The middle aged Jonin instructor, Kozu Sugioka, is someone she knows nothing about except for the fact he wears a polished gold band on his fourth finger. He is firm but inwardly soft and has short hair the color of chocolate with hazel eyes.

His favorite food is eggplant and his hobbies include taking walks.

His dream is to see all of them grow up into fine ninja before retiring.

Her name is Kimiko Uchiha.

She looks like the prettier version of a female Itachi without the weird lines on her face, not that she tells them that.

She likes taking naps, reading, and training when she has the time.

Her dream is to change the future.

She gives them her trademark, fake smile as she finishes up her last sentence. "I look forward to being on a team with all of you."

For the moment, they're all strangers who have yet to earn her real smiles.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Their goal is to land a hit on him before the sun drops past 4 o'clock.

Kimiko gives them a well thought out plan to make sure they pass the test to becoming a genin with flying colors.

Teamwork was something they would need in the future anyways.

Besides, the failing of becoming a genin is not something she can afford.

Failure was never an option.

Failure meant death.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

"Hey, Itachi-chan, as a congratulatory for our promotion I made a game we can play." She calls him over quietly, careful not to disturb the child resting peacefully in his crib.

He slightly tilts his head and sits across from her and in front of the checkered board between them. "What is it called?"

"I call it "Chess". Let me explain the rules..."

He finds the game interesting and plays with her.

Once again, she can't help but feel awed by the skill he displays.

He plays well despite it being his first time playing. Of course his skill is not enough to beat her but, with a little more practice, it wouldn't be long until he came close to matching her.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Her team takes their first C-rank mission.

It's the easiest one she could have imagined. Pick up a scroll and return it.

She hopes their team won't be as unlucky as for it to turn into an A-rank on their first shot.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

They finish the mission successfully.

It would have been nicer if Ikoru hadn't charged head on and forced her to block the bandit's blade with her hand.

The wound is not deep nor life threatening, it still stings though.

"You're too focused on trying to do better than me," She tells him on the way home as her other teammates journey a few steps quicker than themselves. "I've got a secret to becoming strong if you want it."

He sneers at her. "And what's that?"

She smiles at him. "If you don't have someone you care about, find them. And once you do, strive to protect them."

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* * *

><p>.<p>

During one of her daily walks through the village, she sees an elderly woman struggling with her bags.

Kimiko helps her carry them home and with a smile, she asks if she needs anymore help.

"Well, the grass in front of my house has been getting awfully long..."

Within the week, she is booked with back to back chores that the elderly can no longer do.

Her mind drifts back to the boy with obnoxious goggles who used to do this job instead.

"You're such a sweet child." The woman says with a smile of missing teeth as she places a piece of candy into her palm.

She thanks her and turns to look at the swirly red and white sweet sadly.

So was he.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Their first lunch as a team is several months later.

"Would you guys like to go out for lunch?" she asks one day, it's not the first time.

"Why would I want to go out to lunch with you guys?" Ikoru asks with distain, it's not the first time he's responded like that either.

"Hehe, sorry Kimiko-chan, I don't have the money to pay for that." Haru apologizes with a laugh.

"I'll pay for you then. Problem solved." She turns back to Ikoru with a teasing glint in her eyes before Haru can protest. "No need to act like such a tsundere, Ikoru-chan. Come on, you know you want to."

"I told you to stop adding that stupid suffix to my name!"

"Ah, my bad, my bad. Anyways, we'll be at Ichiraku's. Make sure to come soon or else you'll miss out."

"Che." Is all he says before turning away.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

He comes a little while later and she gives a lazy wave upon sight. "I already ordered some pork ramen for you. It's still hot."

She sits on the end next to Haru, there's a seat open next him. A bowl of steaming hot ramen has been placed in front of it.

He breaks eye contact and looks away before muttering a low, barely audible thanks. Then he glances at the stacked bowls between the two with startled eyes. "How the hell did you guys eat all that?"

Haru casts him a frightened glance before opening his mouth to speak. It's then when Ikoru notices the single, empty bowl placed on Haru's other side.

"I didn't. She did."

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She watches her teammates with content and joyful eyes.

They were undoubtedly going to become her precious people.

This only meant she had more people to protect.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She wonders if she'll be able to protect them all.

She's quick to stop thinking about it because secretly,

she wants to keep dreaming a little longer before everything begins to fall apart.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

**Dream:**

**1) A cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.**

**2) An unrealistic or self-deluding fantasy.**


	3. Change

**Chapter 3: Change**

**Change: To make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.**

_Disclaimer: _ I do not own any of the characters of Naruto.__

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* * *

><p>.<p>

She's eight now.

She doesn't personally visit Naruto in wariness of the Anbu undoubtedly looking after him.

Arousing suspicion for herself and her clan wouldn't do anybody good.

Besides, he's only three.

She briefly wonders how much longer she should wait before visiting him.

Perhaps once she lives to ten again.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

It's during training with her father when things go horribly wrong.

She's too tired to be thinking clearly and her moves are sluggish so it's no surprise that when her father throws several kunai she is only able to dodge in the nick of time.

She can hear them pass just over her head and before she can jump sideways for a counterattack of her own, small black hairs slowly float down before her eyes.

This alone causes her to freeze and slowly reach up to grasp her hair. Horror is quick to strike by the many missing sections on the right side of her head.

Her father has half the mind to grab a few more kunai at her expression but much to his surprise, Kimiko does nothing more than turn around and slowly walk back to the house, twitching all the way.

Except she only makes it a few steps before she turns suddenly, slams a fist into the tree beside her, breaks into a furious sprint, and brushes past her startled brother.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

"It's only for a short time." Her mother says in a vain attempt to cheer her up. "Besides, look at how pretty you still look!"

It hardly went past her shoulders.

Kimiko looks up at her father expectantly with a raised eyebrow.

Fugaku clears his throat almost uncomfortably. "Your distractedness was the cause-"

He's interrupted by the joined glares of both females and it's enough for him to reconsider. "I apologize for damaging your hair."

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* * *

><p>.<p>

"Hey Kimiko, why'd you cut your hair?" Kozu-sensei asks as he pulls out all the gear he'll need for their warm-ups and spars that day.

"Mild training accident." She replies stiffly, clearly still sore about the whole ordeal as she fingers the short locks.

"I think it looks good on you!" Haru says cheerfully as he always is, throwing an arm around her shoulders like he always does.

Everyone turns to Ikoru expectantly and he looks away before mumbling. "It look fine now stop brooding over it so we can train."

Their small efforts is all it takes to make her smile.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko thinks Itachi's team is odd.

The female member of his team, Michiko Tsukino, is an irritating fangirl which causes her to ruefully think back to her academy days when that was all that they saw when together. It makes her pity him.

The male member of his team, Ren Kimura, is from a civilian family if she recalls correctly. He is shy and quiet. The red hue coloring his cheeks is actually quite adorable as he greets her with a timid hello.

He's like a genderbent Hinata Hyuga, she thinks with mild amusement.

Their Jonin teacher, Chiyoko Akira, is a skilled enough to the point where Kimiko feels comfortable leaving Itachi in her hands.

At first glance though, the stoic boy, the girl with hearts in her eyes, the boy with red cheeks and adverted eyes, and the woman who practically radiates self-confidence as she twirls a kunai lazily with her finger all put together makes her wonder how they've made it this far.

And then she challenges the other two to a fight and is a little reassured when they put up a decent one.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Sasuke claps and giggles as throws balls of fire and bursts of water into the air.

Their joy is cut short when their mother clears her throat menacingly behind her.

Itachi merely casts her an unsympathetic glance as Kimiko is dragged off by the ear for preforming such dangerous actions around her younger brother.

Her father turns traitor as well when he looks the other way as if he has never seen her.

This only goes to show that their mother is the scariest Uchiha of the house.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Itachi comes home late with stains of red and eyes of trouble and she knows something horrible has happened.

Michiko is dead.

Ren's in the hospital, paralyzed from waste down.

Chiyoko has gone home to grieve.

Itachi's eyes hold the sharingan.

She holds him close as he shakes.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Weeks have passed since she has turned nine and upon asking, Kozu-sensei agrees to put them up for the Chunin exams.

Kimiko is no less than grateful for this chance.

"But Kimiko's only... well you know-" Haru starts to protest.

"Relax Haru, I'm perfectly capable despite my age. You should know from our training spars." She grins at him and only most of the uneasiness fades from his face.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Their father is clearly unsatisfied with the fact that she is competing in the Chunin exams when Itachi is not.

Her interruption is not at all hesitant when she defends Itachi before he can finish his stupid apology and acceptance at being told to request his Jonin teacher allow him to participate in the exams as well.

"Just because we are twins does not mean we have to accomplish goals at the same pace. Perhaps his instructor and he himself are not ready to participate and that is not their fault in any way. Besides, there is no harm in making him wait another year. There is no other Uchiha of age ready to participate next year so it will only make our clan look better when another Uchiha makes chunin at an age so young again."

Those last few sentences remind her of something the elders would say and it makes her uncomfortable.

Itachi's face is neutral but his eyes, she notices, show flickers of surprise.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She doesn't know what Haru was worrying about. The first test was easy, full of knowledge she had obtained years ago.

The second test was albeit far more difficult than the first but nothing she couldn't complete.

All the wannabe chunins here clearly lacked skill too.

At least that was what she thought until a grass genin ends up slashing Ikoru deeply across the chest with a kunai.

He was in her blind spot, there was nothing she could have done.

Kimiko couldn't recall seeing anything other than red once crimson blood matted itself against her form.

She also couldn't recall feeling anything other than fear, horror, and rage once his body hit the ground.

They grass genin and his teammates are dead within minutes and she is immediately on the ground besides Ikuro and Haru, who tends to his bleeding wound with great skill.

She doesn't turn around to face them until she is sure all threats are out of the way but once she does, it only takes a glance in Ikoru's headband to realize what's happened.

Haru congratulates her later on and Ikoru does as well,

but she still can't help but notice the bitterness underlining his tone.

It doesn't matter though, her greatest and most feared weapon has been born.

And all she can see is the body that continues to hit the ground over and over.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Her final competitor is a girl of the same village in her early teens who clearly doesn't like her clan.

This is just the beginning of the hostility that has years to rise before reaching its peak.

"You stupid Uchiha once put my father in custody just cause he trash talked your stupid clan." She spits out bitterly, trying to take a stab to Kimiko's stomach. "Acting like you own the place just cause you're the police force."

She has to put an end to this. This kind of talk in front of such a large amount of people will only cause the growing resentment to speed up.

A few fireballs, a beautifully executed water trumpet, along with a few flurries of brutal taijutsu is all Kimiko needs to overwhelm her opponent with no more than a few scratches and minor exhaustion as damage.

She walks over calmly to her injured and out of breathe opponent before taking out a single kunai.

The girl's eyes widen in fear and the protector is about to call off the match until the kunai is pressed into the other girl's hand and pointed at Kimiko's face with the movement of her own wrist.

"If killing me now resolves your grudge with my clan then I would be happy for you to do so."

She presses the kunai in the other girl's hand closer to her face and raises her voice until it is a determined shout. "But I'm Kimiko Uchiha, ya know and my dream's to change the future of my village and my clan for the better! All this stupid distrust and resentment's going to disappear one day."

All is silent except for her voice echoing out strong and clear.

"Once I become head of the Uchiha clan, I'll make sure to fix things up right away. I vow with my life to keep my promise and I don't break my vows as long as I can help it cause that's my ninja way!"

She hopes her speech is enough to persuade the minds of the villagers above her.

Kimiko backs up and lowers her head to the ground with hands placed besides her. "I ask for your forgiveness on behalf of my clan and if you don't or cannot accept it then I'll... I'll forfeit right here and now."

She can make Chunin next year. Making this work is more important.

It surprises her to hear the words of forfeit leave her opponent's mouth instead and she looks up only to have her face pressed back down to the dirt.

"I can't forgive you for something you didn't do but," The girl starts out.

The next words almost come out bashfully but sure. "I'm gonna choose to believe in you brat, so don't mess this chance up."

It's almost hard to supress the smile threatening to spill out. "I have no intentions to do so."

Her lingering surprise rises back up again when the crowd begins to clap in approval from their seat. Her resolve is so moving that it seems to convince them. It's beffudling how... easy it was to do that. It's laughable.

And while she intends to keep her promise, she still feels bad for using this girl's feelings towards her advantage.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Before the elders can snatch her away, Itachi finds her first and greets her with a bag of dango.

He's never felt this proud for another person.

He's also never heard her speak as vast and confidently as she has just done.

Kimiko Uchiha continues to astonish him.

He tells her that.

She hides the real emotion of what she's feeling like a fake with a hug.

She's such a manipulator, she thinks, as he hugs her back.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Being promoted to Chunin along with gaining her sharingan at nine is an accomplishment, but her actions to becoming one are greatly frowned upon.

They aren't happy that she was so willing to die and forfeit.

She's clan heiress after all. She has an image to keep up.

Letting a nobody do things like that is unacceptable.

"Tell me, what is so wrong with feeding them the image that the heiress of the mighty Uchiha clan shall be by their side in the future?" She asks them. "I am not stupid. A large proportion of the village does not completely trust us. I am willing to become the heiress you approve of but making me stop trying to fix the ties between our clan and village is not something I will allow you to do."

She knows her words and actions send a clear signal to Danzo and everyone else about where she lies.

Their response is a long and hard thought one. "You are to be promoted to Jonin in two years and increase your heiress training." They tell her.

Do anything stupid and there will be consequences goes unsaid.

She agrees all while thinking that by the time she's eleven, they will have far more than they asked for.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Only four months have pass when she takes the Jonin exams.

Surely if Itachi could reach Anbu at eleven, she could reach Jonin when almost ten.

But then she is set up against Maito Gai and she immediately knows she will not win.

He is a taijutsu master. He can open the gates. He is far past her abilities and power.

In the end, as expected, Kimiko is defeated.

No bones are broken. She is just severly bruised and unable to even summon the energy to stand.

The only damage she was able to lay on him was a few hits and a shallow cut to his cheek.

It's almost like the time Sasuke had gone up against Lee, she muses.

Even her already mastered sharingan, had proven useless in predicting and countering his lightning fast moves.

Regardless of loss though, Kimiko stands up and bows deeply. "It was an honor to fight you, Gai-san. I look forward to battling you again."

She is severely startled when he comes up close with a "nice guy pose". "Your will to fight is most youthful, Kimiko-chan! I was most honored to fight you as well!"

She winces at the close contact but he mistakes it for a wince out of pain.

Kimiko has no idea how to react as she is suddenly dragged to the hospital.

But when her mind catches up and she stutters with protests, it falls to deaf ears.

Conveniently though, they run into Haru at the front who is on duty at the time and no longer the fresh trainee he was during their genin days.

It takes both of them to assure Gai that she will be fine and he leaves with a cheery goodbye along with the wish that she gets better soon.

He heals her bruises with ease and they laugh and talk together.

A bird with a scroll flies in through the open window and lands on her arm.

She opens it.

She's now officially the youngest Jonin in Konoha.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The other Jonin are either marveling or uneasy at her early promotion.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Ikoru's eyes still reflect jealousy. He's short tempered and his answers are curt. She and Haru are at a loss for what to do.

Kozu-sensei puts a comforting hand on his shoulder and steers him away to the other side of the training ground.

There are a lot of changes in expressions and gesturing. No less than five minutes later, they walk back and Ikoru apologizes gruffly before declaring that he's going home.

Both of them stare at Kozu-sensei in wonder at awe wondering just what the hell he had said to make as someone as stubborn as Ikoru apologize.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She asks to speak with father and tells him of her future plans concerning Anbu.

"Becoming a Jonin so soon after Chunin and you're already joining Anbu." Her father comments in a proud voice.

"Tou-san, I would like to ask that you do not push Itachi in the same direction as myself. He will join Anbu in his own time and even then will it be considered young." She begs in the form of a request. "Itachi is already increasing steadily on his own. I believe it would be wiser to spend more time focusing on Sasuke when he becomes of age." She suggests.

It is by some miracle, she thinks, that he ends up agreeing with her.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko's cheers are the loudest as Itachi faces off against his opponent.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She's tired but she has no time for that.

She has to become strong. She can rest later but for now, she must do what needs to be done.

"Fire Release: Crimson Pheonix"

More bodies are set aflame.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She is called in by Hiruzen for what she wearily assumes to be another mission.

"You called-"

She stops herself short in favor of staring with surprise upon seeing three familiar people stand before her.

"Yo Kimiko-chan, guess what? We're all going on a mission." Haru grins with a salute.

A mission with two Jonin and two Chunin? How odd.

"This is an A-rank mission and you four are the only ones available at the moment." Hiruzen tells them.

To her, it's an obvious lie.

She's grateful for it.

She could have never have foretold how a mission as generous as this could have

gone

so

_wrong._

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

They don't even come close to completing the mission.

Along the way, two bandits intercept them. Their faces are covered with cloth, revealing only their eyes.

Judging by their previously suppressed chakra signatures, they are not mere bandits.

And even though there are only two of them, it's been a while since she's felt this uneasy.

The fact that there is something off about them is all she has time to conclude before the first one charges.

The speed catches her off gaurd and had she not had her sharingan activated coupled with her quick reactions, it would have gone much worse.

He is quick and along with the strike of his blade against her own, he's clearly far too skilled to be a mere bandit.

Something's so wrong but she can't pinpoint it.

The other flashes towards her teammates.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko and her opponent are almost evenly matched. One wrong slip up for either of them and they're dead.

But it won't be long until she is overwhelmed for he is older, stronger, and far more experience.

It surprises her that she isn't dead yet.

It is unlikely that he is stupid but, she's so sure that they could have killed them by attacking with surprise instead of presenting themselves so openly.

The only reason she's still alive now is because of her sharingan. And with faint suspicion, most likely the fact that he may be holding back.

Furthermore though, if his teammate is anything the same, her comrades, despite it being three of them against one, are no match for him.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She hears a sharp, grunt of pain from Ikoru and it causes her to lose focus.

A millisecond later there's the sound of a foot kicking him away and then there's the unmistakeable sound of metal piercing flesh and she turns only for the image of Kozu-sensei's body-_one of her _**_precious _**_people_-being halved by a katana to be burned into her eyes.

It is unmistakably an instant kill.

There is more than one change of shape of the sharingan and definently more than one scream of rage.

Two more bodies hit the dirt.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She is heaving heavily at the gruesome bodies before her.

Black flames dance across the dirt and are slowly eating away at the corpses before her.

Ikoru's lying on his back. Haru's at his side.

It's like the Chunin exams all over again only this time,

there's no saving him.

Haru's hands tremble frantically and he's doing everything possible.

But there's no amount of healing that will save him because by the wound, purple liquid drips down his side.

His hearts already starting to falter and there's no antidote, hospital, or any herbs whatsoever nearby.

Not even his Mangekyo sharingan can save him now.

Ikoru's breathing has turned into panting and Haru's screaming at him to hang on.

But even Haru knows he's dying and it's hopeless.

She says nothing and holds his hand as a mixture of tears and blood trickles down her cheek.

"I've... I've always resented the both of you..." Ikoru speaks with a raspy voice and Haru falls silent.

He speaks to Haru first with seemingly cold words but they know him well enough to understand the hidden meaning. "You're always so cheerful and it was really annoying, you know. You had no clan to control you or push you. No expectations. But you were a good friend and I often... I often thought of you... as a brother."

Haru thinks of those words hard as he turns his head weakly to her.

"You were always so young yet stupidly brilliant... I had an impossible dream and I... was angry at you because of it but I... I never truly disliked you."

Her heart throbs painfully.

_"You guys were my best friends."_

As soon as those last words leave his mouth, Haru chokes back a cry as Ikoru's hand goes limp.

She stares numbly at the body and there's a feeling of rage when something captures her eyes.

There's a sickeningly familiar tattoo on the tongue of one of their attacker.

Anger grips her heart furiously and she burns it with black flames before howling out a scream.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kozu-sensei's body is in the process of burning.

Neither are skilled enough to seal the bodies in a scroll and neither are strong enough to lug two corpses back home when so far away.

It's a standard procedure.

She is about to burn Ikoru's body when she stops.

A thought comes to mind and for a moment, she is conflicted.

Then she thinks of the two people she wasn't strong enough to protect and she decides.

"Haru, I need you to transplant my eyes."

She then explains everything she can.

She has the knowledge and he has the skill.

She guides him through the entire process.

They are not expected back for several more days. Enough time for her to heal.

They will return with the mission failed.

They will return with two teammates lost.

They will both return with a secret that neither will ever tell.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

For the next few days, they travel slowly and quietly.

They are a day away from Konoha when the bandages around Kimiko's eyes are removed.

The first thing she does is tightly hug Haru's blurry form.

"Thank you." Her tone conveys everything.

Sadness. Pain. Gratefulness.

The rage she still feels, however, is hidden with difficultly.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She watches the widow, and her, now fatherless, daughter mourn and cry.

Two single daffodils are placed on his grave.

Daffodils were his favorite.

Then there's the Uchiha mother who weeps with the husband who places his hand on her shoulders with a face, no matter how stoic, still betrays the feeling of loss.

She feels the painful throb in her chest again and a hand reaches up to place itself over one of her eyes.

A simple red rose is put on his grave.

The two of them don't leave until the sun has dropped from view.

Neither bring up the tears they both know were cried again that day.

All she can see is Ikoru's bittersweet smile and the body that continues to hit the ground over and over again.

Only this time, the body isn't Ikoru's and it's a corpse.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The elders have heard what has happened and they ask her about the conditions of her eyes.

Her hands twitch and stop themselves from clenching into fists, or worse, stabbing one of them right then and there.

She tilts her head and scrunches her eyebrows together in a confused, clueless manner. "Nothing has changed. Why do you ask?"

She should have expected this really, especially since the elders of her clan are hardly better than the ones of the village.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko goes on her second A-rank mission with two strangers who run beside her.

One is a woman who she's seen only a handful of times during mission reports. The other is someone she doesn't recognize.

They are both clearly wary about going on a mission with someone so young, especially since she's the leader.

Kimiko could care less.

Their mission is to assassinate a drug dealer who has also been selling secrets of Konoha.

There are more guards positioned outside than they had been informed of.

Neverless, the mission goes on.

Her job is to take out the first layer of guards as they go in for the kill.

They protest but she silences them quickly, they have no way of knowing how many more are inside. They are to go together to make sure the other doesn't die.

As leader, she gives them the cue and they charge.

Choked screams fill the night as she twirls, slashes, and spins around them. The way she kills them is almost elegant, it's like she's dancing.

One, two, three, four, five. It doesn't matter how many of them go down.

Waves of fire shaped into soaring dragons burns their corpses to ashes.

Kimiko crinkles her nose at the smell of burning flesh and tries to ignore the suppresed but still slightly visible shaking of her hands and the glowing red eyes that reflect onto her bleeding blade.

She still has yet to get used to it, no matter how many bodies she's already cut down.

Maybe she never will.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The mission is a success.

She comes home late, tired, and still exhausted.

She has to be careful not to trail blood into the house.

Scalding hot water hits her back and she can almost pretend that it is erasing all the blood ever to be spilt on her hands.

Sasuke is peacefully asleep in the room next door and she presses a soft kiss to his forehead.

She tentatively stops the room before her own and peaks inside. Itachi is still awake, reading quietly.

A look into her eyes and he knows how she feels.

He grips her tightly and the message is sent across.

_You're alright. I'm here._

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Itachi is still out with Sasuke.

Their father is walking into the room just as she is walking out.

"Tou-san," Kimiko calls before exiting. "don't forget about Sasuke's Academy Entrance Exam which is tomorrow afternoon. Itachi and I have already promised him we're going so we will both be unavailable."

"I am aware, I have already received the invitation. We're leaving early."

She walks out feeling immensely pleased.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko meets the child of the prophecy when he is five-years old.

She's walking absentmindedly past the park. Her thoughts keep drifting back to the events that seem to drift closer to the present each passing moment.

It's hard to ignore the cries and sniffles she can hear while passing.

She stops and turns.

She is only a few feet away from him when he looks up with teary eyes.

They stare.

A heartbeat passes.

Her lips twitch into a kind smile and she extends her hand.

"Are you alright?"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She takes him to the ramen stand and orders him bowl after bowl until he's full.

He inquires why she doesn't look at him like the others do.

She tells him it's because she has no reason to.

Then he asks why the others look at him like they do.

She tells him it's because they're _weak._

It almost scares her at how bitter her voice sounds in that moment but it's true. Without a scapegoat, they were bound to break.

He doesn't question her about the topic again after that.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asks.

"Only if you would like to." She replies.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko plays with him the next day as promised.

With a henge, she is down to his size they begin a game of ninja.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna become hokage!" He proclaims and it throws her off balance at how bright and determined his blue eyes are. "I'll become the strongest ninja this village'll ever have!"

She smiles at him. He is one of the few people who receives her real smiles even though he has just met her. "Well then, I look forward to serving under you one day, future hokage-sama."

Kimiko wonders how a boy so young and so hated can be so bright.

She wonders how a boy surrounded by such darkness can shine like the sun.

She wonders how a boy who is shown hell cherishes the village like it's heaven.

Naruto Uzumaki confuses her.

He also amazes her.

Kimiko never thought she'd find anyone other than her brother to be capable of causing her such amazement.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko takes a deep, steady breath as she walks down the aisle of tomb stones.

She knows that she hasn't lost everyone yet and there's still too much she has to do if she doesn't want to.

Kimiko thinks of her family, tainted with a curse of hatred, who are not yet out of her grasp to save.

Itachi, her younger brother who is wiser, smarter, and more selfless than any other human alive destined to suffer.

Sasuke, her youngest brother with years of pain, deceiving, and hatred ahead of him.

Naruto, the innocent boy with the fate of being seen as a monster decided without his consent.

Haru, the happy go lucky orphan who now has nobody but her truly by his side.

She still has to fight for them.

Kimiko thinks of all those who have died.

Rin Nohara, the girl who died tragically to protect her village.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, the parents who gave up everything protecting their village and son.

Ikoru Uchiha, the boy with an impossible dream who died too young.

Kozu Sugioka, the man who wished to see his beloved students grow and peacefully retire.

Giving up now would just be disgraceful.

As long as she had the will to move forward, the will to stay alive, she wouldn't be falling anytime soon.

Kimiko just wishes that the pain could fade with every step.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The beginning of everything may have already been set into an unstoppable motion but that didn't mean it was too late to change things.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

**Will: Purpose or determination, often hearty or stubborn determination; willfulness.**


	4. Contradictions

**Chapter 4: Contradictions**

**Life: The period between the birth and death of a living thing, especially a human being.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Naruto._

_._

* * *

><p>.<p>

Shisui Uchiha.

Another man with the mark of death that only she can remove.

It's been a while since she's come into contact with someone so close to death so it's strange really, when she finds herself coming into contact with him more often than she used to.

They knew who each other were, conversed occasionally but never really talked. It was a relief to know he wasn't a being of seriousness like most of the clan's members but they were still more of colleagues rather than friends.

He was no more than her brother's friend and a fellow member of the same clan.

There could have been many opportunities where she could have interacted with Shisui like Itachi had but frankly, she was simply too busy before.

Except for now, which is how his transition from acquaintance to friend begins.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

It's driving her mad.

Not truly knowing what to do, that is.

Hiruzen has giving her an extended break to grieve and her mother has cruelly banned her from training of any sort.

It's thrown everything off balance.

Kimiko no longer has any real hobbies, never really having the time nor interest for them anyways.

She likes reading, but the library's closed today and she's out of new books to read.

She likes napping too, but lunch is right around the corner.

Which is how she comes to find herself sitting outside on the porch, writing in a lost script that reminds her of the past.

"What kind of language is that?"

Startled, the pen streaks a jagged line across the page.

Kimiko's eye twitches before speaking, glaring at the unfixable error rather than him. "The body flicker isn't mean for sneaking up on people, Shisui."

Shisui chuckles sheepishly. "Sorry, Kimiko. I was wondering if you knew where Itachi was."

She shakes her head. "Itachi is away on a mission. He will not be back until tomorrow."

"Oh." There's a pause of silence and an expression she can't define crosses his face." Are you doing anything today?"

"Nothing in particular."

"Would you like to hang out with me then?"

Kimiko's not entirely sure she's heard him properly. "Pardon?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to but if you're anything like Itachi-"

She quirks an eyebrow and frowns. "Are you implying I am so socially impaired that I need a person to pity me if I don't want to spend my day alone?"

A bit of panic washes over his face and he stops once he realizes she's smirking. "What? No, I- oh, very funny."

"Sorry, I had to." Kimiko allows her smirk to twitch into a smile. "My answer is yes by the way."

"Yes what?"

"I would not mind taking you up on your offer."

He blinks at her before shaking his head. "You're just like Itachi. Weird for your age."

"Insulting the Uchiha heiress again? Not a very smart Uchiha, are you?"

He takes her to the one out of many of Itachi's favorite traditional cafés that he and Itachi go to ocasaionally and spends the rest of the day with her exchanging jokes and stories while browsing through the bustling streets of Konoha.

His presence is calming and distracting. It's like being around Haru.

Kimiko isn't sure how to feel about this.

But in the jumble of emotions she's feeling, she knows one is the feeling of content.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

It's cold.

It's raining.

Kimiko's walking by herself towards the memorial stone with an umbrella in hand. There's a bundle of flowers in the other hand.

It's time to visit Obito again.

Kimiko blinks in surprise when she finds a silver-haired man standing there.

No umbrella, just hands in his pockets and a lone eye looking devoid of any light.

Kimiko stands besides him without a word, he glances at her and there's recognition.

She places the flowers on the stone and positions her umbrella in the crook of her neck before reaching into her pocket to pull out a scroll, open it, and swipe her bloody thumb across it.

He doesn't do anything but merely watch her curiously.

An umbrella pops into existence and she hands it to him after neatly tucking the scroll back into her pocket. "Here."

He shakes his head. "I'm fine."

"It wasn't an option."

The gaze is still curious but also questioning now. "But what if I've already politely declined?"

"Doesn't matter if it wasn't an option in the first place." She retorts nonchalantly with a shrug before jerking it towards him again in an offering.

"No thank you, I'm fine." He insists, almost seeming microscopically annoyed now, but he's too good for that.

Oddly frustrated, she frowns at him, opens the umbrella, and forces it into his hand before calling him out on it. "If a ten year-old is calling you an idiot then I believe you need to reconsider things. That umbrella's yours now. If I catch you out here in the rain without it I'll scold you."

The message is clear. I think your annoyance is stupid and I'm not dealing with it.

And then she walks away, leaving his lone, curious eye to stare after her.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She places the large pot carefully on the table and turns her head to the door as it opens.

"Kimiko-nee?" Naruto asks, baffled that she's in his home.

Everything looks different. The house is clean and polished. Potted plants decorate the room and there's a small, newly added bookcase filled to the brim with books.

He can see the insides of the fridge before it closes as she pulls out a bottle of juice and there's all different kinds of food like fruits and vegetables. There's even some sort of pie in there too.

Everything looks brighter somehow.

"Hi, I made shabu shabu for lunch!" Kimiko answers cheerfully as if this is normal and absolutely nothing is out of the ordinary.

"How'd you get inside?" He asks, still trying to register the fact that _she's in his home._

Kimiko laughs and winks at him. "I'm a ninja."

There's a pause of silence and he isn't sure what to say until she smiles at him warmly.

"Welcome back, Naruto-chan."

It's a miracle he doesn't cry but instead beams at her before running up into her open arms.

The atmosphere is warm and homey as she fills his bowl and adds in lots of vegetables, ignoring his grumbles of protest.

"The decorating along with restocking the fridge and pantry kind of cost me a lot so I may not be able to treat you to ramen for a while." Kimiko apologizes.

He shakes his head in refusal. "That's okay, this is the best gift ever, Kimiko-nee!"

Kimiko smiles at him.

At the very least a five year-old child, especially this one, deserves to be able to hear the words "welcome back.".

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The day is silent and boring as she sits through another clan meeting, pretending to look attentive.

All the Uchiha seem to be proud of her, when her father announces that their Uchiha heiress is going to join Anbu soon.

Then she notices a pair of eyes glaring at her with a certain type of hate that only comes from loss.

These eyes are accusing, furious, and still hiding grief.

She numbly registers the fact that these are the eyes of Ikoru's father.

There's a sudden weight in her chest and she's reminded that these eyes aren't hers.

She's reminded that she's a thief.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Danzo.

His very name fills her with fury.

She doesn't care what his reasons are or were, no matter how noble, he's a threat.

She wants him to burn.

Burn... _burn_... **burn**.

He's caused others to suffer, he's attacked and killed those dear to her.

He was going to attack and kill those dear to her.

He was going to cause both of her otoutos to suffer.

If he knew just as about as much as the sharingan as she thought he knew, he was a very large threat that had to be watched.

Why else would he attack them?

Why else would he send his goons to attack her and-

_Kozu-sensei's body is burning._

_Ikoru's burning too._

_His eyes are in her sockets._

Kimiko stumbles and crashes her back into the kitchen counter for support. Her breathing has quickened dramatically and she's shaking.

Bad memories. _Horrible, horrible memories._

She barely has enough time to throw on a fake smile when Naruto looks up from his homework.

"I'm fine Naruto, it's just a little chilly."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She's by the grave again, he's besides her again.

"I haven't seen you come here before." He notes, pretending as if their first meeting has never happened.

"I used to come later in the day, whenever I had the time really. I've changed to a morning schedule to make sure I can visit daily."

"Ah."

That's all they speak for the rest of their time there.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Boredom fills her mind during her watch on guard duty.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, she recalls the days where she was once fearful that she would one day no longer be afraid of killing people.

Now she's just fearful for the days where she won't be able to kill every threat out there in order to keep her loved ones safe.

It almost makes her give a smile in twisted and dry amusement.

To think this was a world where children grew up and lived life in.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

It is just before bed when she snaps and looses her temper for the first time.

She's drinking a relaxing cup of tea, everyone has already checked out for the night.

For the moment, it is just her and her father.

"Kimiko, there's something I need to discuss with you." He announces and takes a seat.

She places the cup down, hand still loosely gripping it, and answers. "Is there something wrong, otou-san?"

"Some of the clan has recently been informed that you have been visiting the jinchuriki and the elders have recommended that you-"

The sound of a cup shattering and her next words that accompany the action sends silence sweeping across the room.

"His name is Naruto and I absolutely refuse to do anything the elders suggest that has to do with him."

She freezes in surprise at the pure anger and concentrated killing intent that has seemed to come out of the blue, released and directed at her father of all the people.

He stares at her with the same expression, both noticing the sticky, sweet tea which deludes the bitter, red blood that drips down her hand and spreads across the table.

Blood always brings back such unsettling memories.

At the moment, it's a standstill where neither are sure what to do.

How could she have made such a mistake?

"Nee-chan?" A quiet and confused voice asks hesitantly.

Their heads both snap to her little five-year old brother, peering around the corner and staring at the scene as if not sure what to make of it.

Kimiko stands up quickly and smiles reassuringly, hiding the torn up hand behind her back. "Sasuke-chan, what are you doing up out of bed?"

He squirms uncomfortably and looks down. "I was going to get some water when I heard glass break. What happened?"

She blinks before giving an embarrassed laugh, ruffling his hair. "I accidentally gripped my cup too hard and it broke, silly huh? No worries though, everything's fine. It's going to take a lot more than some measly glass to take down your big and strong nee-chan, right?"

A small smile breaks out on his lips and he nods. "Mhm!"

"Now, you should go get your water and head back to bed, okay? Wouldn't want kaa-chan to get upset. I need to clean up the mess I made."

"I'll clean it up." Her father tells them. "Clean up and go to bed. Training is going to begin early tomorrow."

"I- yes, otou-san." She answers back with a smile. "Goodnight, and, um, thank you."

He grunts and she leaves, missing the barest of smirks on his face.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

This one doesn't even have time to scream as Kimiko slices cleanly through their body.

She sighs.

Her blade was going to rust at the rate she was going.

Kimiko wonders if she's ever going to be able to take an A-rank without having to kill someone.

Maybe one day she'll get lucky.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Her feet feel heavy as she wanders slowly back home.

She's just returned from the Hokage's office and her mind feels more tired than her body.

"Greetings youthful flower! Would you care to join us?" Gai shouts out, gesturing towards their table within the dango shop where Asuma, Kurenai, and himself are sitting.

Already used to his way of speech, she turns her head towards him. "Unfortunately I'm going to have to pass. I don't have any money on me, Gai-san."

"Ah, Kimiko-chan, you can eat as much as you want as long as you pay the debt next time you come." The owner of the shop says generously, overhearing their conversation.

Her uneasy shifting goes unnoticed and she smiles. "That's very kind of you. I... I suppose I could stay for a few rounds then."

Well, there was no getting out of it now.

Then again, maybe she didn't really want to.

Some company wouldn't particularly be bad at the moment.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

This village is full of such light-

_Kozu-sensei is treating them to dinner as a celebration to the three of them making Chunin. They all laugh as Haru chokes on the burning hot curry he's accidentally ordered._

-and darkness.

_She's washing her blood stained hands in a nearby river. Kozu-sensei's falling body still refuses to remove itself from her mind. Ikoru's eyes are still haunting her._

Happiness-

_Sasuke is babbling about his day at the academy. Itachi is unable to pick him up because he's taking his Jonin exams. Sasuke's expression turns sour at the mention of a certain Naruto Uzumaki and she laughs._

-and sadness.

_Naruto is in tears again because the other kids won't let him play with them. She holds him tight as he sullies her shirt in snot._

Good-

_Hiruzen invites her over for tea and grants her permission to join Anbu._

-and Evil.

_She knows Danzo is lurking around the darker corners of the village waiting for his chance to snatch her._

She's living in a village of contradictions.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The constant tilting between sides is making her dizzy.

.

* * *

><p><strong>.<strong>

**Contradiction: Direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency.**


	5. Deadline

**Chapter 5: Deadline**

**Deadline: The time by which something must be finished.**

_Disclaimer: _ I do not own any of the characters of Naruto. __

_. _

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko is given the mask of what appears to be a panther and she thanks the man who had handed it to her.

She has been assigned to Team Ro.

Just like Itachi was probably going to be soon.

Kimiko greets them kindly with closed eyes, a head tilted slightly to the right, and a warm smile. "Hello, my name is Kimiko Uchiha. As of today I've been assigned to Anbu. It's nice to meet you all."

When she arrives at the training ground as instructed she is confused when no major doubt towards her skills are displayed.

She had half expected them to throw kunai and shuriken at her like they would have with Itachi.

All gazes are on her and there are quite a few inaudible words exchanged, but no weapons are thrown.

The confusion is cleared later on when she meets Kakashi by the memorial stone again.

"I hadn't realized you were the one hokage-sama was talking about when he mentioned a new recruit was coming to Team Ro."

"I would've figured they'd still be a little more skeptical of me."

"You do seem a little young to be joining Anbu." Kakashi admits.

She lets out a chuckle and she prays that the undertone of bitterness isn't as noticeable as she thinks it is. "I'm not that young, ya know. I'll have you know I'm turning eleven soon."

"But he did tell all of us that you were very skilled and dependable." He tells her.

She pauses and her amused grin dies down a little. "Did he?"

A nod.

She smiles. "That's nice to know."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Kimiko is idly munching on a stick of dango late at night when a body sits itself across from her in the booth.

She looks up curiously at the smirking, young, purple haired woman who is leaning over the table with one arm in front of her as support.

"So you're really the one who broke that scum bag in T&I?" She asks, most likely in a referral to the time when Kimiko had offered to give it a try with her sharingan after overhearing of the man in T&I who had refused to talk for a week.

Just a test of capabilities.

She had analyzed him for a minute. No words, no expression, just staring.

Then she had him looking into her sharingan eyes.

It had surprised everyone when she opened the door to the sound proof room to reveal his whimpers, having expected her to pull out the information harmlessly through genjutsu.

"I am."

It was no Tsukiyomi, as she did not wield that power, but it was a genjutsu that felt real and terrifying enough.

Anko chuckles and takes a stick off her plate without asking before biting the first one off, finishing it all, and snatching another. "You're not half bad, I'll give you that. Even our head interrogator was having trouble with that guy."

Kimiko nods and looks down at the now empty plate. "I can assume you would like me to order a few more plates?" Kimiko asks dryly. "Since you seem to enjoy eating all of mine."

Anko's grin seems to widen. "I like you already kid."

"Well, it is pretty hard for people not to like me." Kimiko agrees before waving the waitress over.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Itachi joins Anbu months after their eleventh birthday.

It's only natural as his big sister not to like that.

She welcomes him with open arms of friendliness and everyone else just seems to be surprised that another Uchiha is joining so young.

She just wishes she could have done something to prevent it a little longer.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

She lands right besides Kakashi as he interrupts their target practice on her brother.

"Is your brother really ready to be in Anbu?" Her cat-masked teammate asks. "From what I've seen, you do fine but-"

"Are you kidding? He beats me in spars far more than I beat him."

He's talking about the one who became a Chunin a year after herself and joined Anbu only months later than she did.

That's more than enough reassurance for her.

He quickly silences himself as they watch Itachi hit the marks on every target.

Her words do hold truth to them though, she still can't regularly beat him in a spar.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The minute Danzo truly converses with her face to face for the first time, he tries to persuade her to join Root.

What he tells her is obviously rubbish. It is no longer safe to be under Hiruzen's leadership. The man who let seven year-old children become a genin and sent a ten year-old Jonin on an A rank mission was not fit for leadership.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline you Danzo-sama but sadly, it would be a rather unpleasant reminder for me to be surrounded by your agents again."

She is one to be wary of and he must know that.

Her hand twitches by her side and she has to quickly dismiss herself before she does something she'll regret.

How dare he shift the blame for something he did. How dare he.

Such a foolish old man.

To think of his demise if she was a being who fell easily into revenge's grasp.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Good luck on your mission, Itachi." Kimiko says from the top of the steps as Itachi walks down.

She stays long enough to hear one of their teammates warn him about Kakashi.

She had once received that same warning too and had given a reply instantly without thought.

"I'm sure I'll be fine."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Do you have anything to report, Kimiko?" Her father asks.

"Nothing different than what Itachi has already said."

While her brother reads the stone with surprised eyes, she quietly thinks to herself.

How will the Uchiha clan deal with things?

What will be their future?

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Twelve.

An entire year has passed before she knows it.

Another year closer to upcoming tragedy.

Her time is slowly running out.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Even though nobody's there, she doesn't fidget because she's an Uchiha. And Uchiha's don't fidget. She especially does not fidget.

Three consecutive knocks.

Maybe this was a mistake, it's not like he remembered this particular date nor was required to.

Besides, what if he was upset that she hadn't made time for him?

What if he didn't want to see her?

A minute passes.

The door opens.

"Kimi-"

Words shoot out of her mouth before he can finish. "I know it's been a while and I've been really busy lately so we haven't really seen each other and I'm really sorry but-"

"Woah, woah, woah. Calm down. It's fine, I get it. I don't mind. It's just that, you know, it's kind of past ten at night."

Kimiko relaxes. He's fine. It's all alright because he fine. "Sorry for being late about it but," Kimiko brings her hands out from behind her back and holds out a nicely wrapped present, decorated a bright kelly green, like his eyes, with a complimentary orange bow.

"Happy five year anniversary."

Haru blinks in surprise as she hands him the gift but before it reached his hands, he holds up a finger. "Hold on. Wait here."

"Wh-"

But he's already vanished so her mouth closes and she waits with furrowed eyebrows.

When he reappears, he pulls out the gift from behind him and reveals a box with black wrapping paper and a red bow.

"I wanted to give it to you in person. You weren't home when I dropped by the Uchiha estate so I figured you were busy today."

She's too stunned to speak.

"Too bad, I wanted to surprise you for once." Haru chuckles before rubbing his neck sheepishly. "I guess we had the same idea, huh?"

"I... Yeah, I guess we did."

"So... what did ya get me?" He asks, eyes waggling which causes her to snort and playfully punch him on the shoulder.

"Open it up yourself, idiot."

And he does, to reveal a scroll.

"It's just a couple of new scalpels, nothing much." Kimiko shrugs.

Then he reaches into the box and brings his hand up to dangle a ladle between his fingers with a questioning glance.

"You said you like to cook." She explains simply.

"Really? I don't remember telling you that."

"It was just before the chunin exams. You told us after bringing us each a homemade bento box."

He seems fairly taken back and looks at her in the eyes before protesting. "But that was years ago."

"It doesn't mean I've forgotten."

His gaze softens and he gives a smile that shows off his teeth. "Thanks. I really appreciate it. Now open your gift."

When she opens her present, a small box that fits easily into her palm, she finds a single earing.

A slight red dusts his cheeks and he turns his head, answering her question before she can ask it. In his right ear is an identical, matching black stud. "You're not the easiest person to shop for so I got you something simple. I know it isn't anything special but I thought we could match."

There's a small pause of silence before she points something out while trying to smother a grin. "I really like it but there's just one problem. "

"Problem? What do you mean?"

"My ears aren't pierced."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Her legs dangle over the edge as she rests against the tree on that overcast day.

Maybe it would rain soon.

Rain was always such a nice weather, it was a shame that so many would disagree.

She senses someone coming and a fellow Anbu member appears by her side. "Sandaime-sama requests your presence."

"Understood."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The look in Kakashi's eyes when they take down their target is disturbing.

It's because those eyes almost remind her of her own.

Sometimes she wonders how he's made it this far.

And then she stops herself because she already knows the answer.

When one, like himself, has lost everyone dear to them, the only thing keeping them alive and fighting is their hope, and their will to live.

Sometimes it doesn't matter who you slaughter along the way.

She, however, still has people to live for.

She fights to protect them.

She won't stop fighting until she knows every threat has been eliminated.

She won't stop fighting until she knows everyone she cares about will be safe.

And if she can help it, only allow herself die once everyone is safe.

_._

* * *

><p>.<p>

A clean cut slices through the trunk just above her head and Kimiko immediately jumps forward, flips, and throws many kunai before landing behind the next tree.

She was so screwed. Fire and Earth was one of the worst possible combination against lightning. She didn't possess any wind jutsus either.

All are deflected and she swings herself up to the next branch.

"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!'

She has to keep her busy long enough to keep her from attacking with that lightning jutsu of hers.

Of all the people they sent as backup to help their other stupid ninja dance around Konoha's border.

Her teammates job, as there were only three of them, were to go after the other Kiri-nins who had run off.

Her job was to deal with the one tailing behind them. Perhaps if they had all known who was trailing them, she'd be the one in a pair of two instead of them.

"Are you done running around? Cowards aren't my type, you know." Her opponent calls out.

Ameyuri Ringo.

Lovely.

In that moment Kimiko moves and strikes with her sword.

Ameyuri grins and they clash.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Her mask is gone, in halves on the ground.

Blood trails down the side of her face and she is propped up in what seems to be an uncomfortable position against the tree. Her left shoulder is dislocated as well.

Not that she could really feel it anymore.

It's a miracle she's even alive, having been zapped more than once. The damage given, however, was weak as if she was just being toyed with. She probably was.

For once she's perfectly fine with that.

Ameyuri is on the ground too but for partially different reasons and Kimiko could guess why.

"You're ill aren't you?" Kimiko asks between heavy inhales and exhales in an attempt to buy time.

Her devastating lightning attacks should've attracted more than enough attention. If she could stall long enough then just maybe...

"Oh? What makes you think that?"

"Something's hindering you. It's the only reason I'm not dead and probably the only reason I managed to actually nick your side."

"Hm. No wonder a child like you was put into Anbu."

And then she stands up and a surge of terror runs through her because she can hardly move much less dodge a head on attack.

She's going to die.

Like a miracle, Itachi flashes by her side and their other teammate appears as well.

Much to all three's surprise, Ameyuri merely puts her blades back in her sheath.

"I like your strength brat, I look forward to playing with you again."

She reveals her jagged teeth once more before vanishing.

"Don't pursue her." Kimiko orders. "She could defeat all three of us with ease."

"Then why didn't she?" Their teammate asks.

"I don't know."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

That fight has her in the hospital for a full three days. She's not allowed back on duty for another week.

Everyone visits at least once.

Her mother and father.

Itachi and Sasuke.

Haru.

She even sees Kakashi, Tenzo, Guy, Asuma, Kurenai, and Anko, much to her surprise.

It's fairly pleasant until they leave because that's when the reality that she is waiting in a hospital bed and time is ticking on in the world around her comes back with agony accompanying it.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Hey Kaa-chan..." Kimiko shifts uneasily, suddenly feeling small and awkward for a reason she can't fathom.

Asides from Sasuke, Kimiko is the only one who adds the -chan anymore.

She feels like her mother is grateful for it though, no matter how small the gesture is.

"Yes Kimiko-chan?"

"Do... do you think... I mean if you have the time... I was wondering, since I haven't been home that often... if we could... we could bake something like we used to when I was younger."

Kimiko looks up and her mother's eyes sparkle, a little bit of relief seeping into them, and she smiles like she always does. "Of course Kimiko-chan. Do you still like chocolate cake?"

"...With vanilla frosting?"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Sometimes it was nice to relive memories of the past but she wasn't living in such a time where she could forget the deadline crawling closer to the present.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

**Past: Of, having existed in, or having occurred during a time previous to the present; bygone.**


	6. Coup D'état

**Chapter 6: Coup d'état**

**Indignation: Anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Naruto._

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

It's her turn to take the unavoidable mission.

They ask her what she's going to do and she shrugs before sitting down.

"Not much of a reason to do anything, is there?"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Tou-san, I'd like to request that you allow me to enlist part time into working at the police station."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"You joined the police force?"

"I just patrol and do paperwork on my days off."

"Why though?"

"It's easier to keep the clan in line if I'm with them. I looked through some old files and while there haven't been a lot, there are a few complaints about how rough the police force has been. Tou-san can't watch over everyone."

"So you're in Anbu for clearance, the police force to watch the clan, and the paperwork's just an unlucky addition."

"Essentially. It's as you say, a true ninja protects her village from within it's own shadow."

She can't help but let that feeling of indignation push it's way in for a moment. She's not like Shisui or Itachi, one of the few Uchiha ever who are immune to the feeling, making them truly capable of taking on the role of a true ninja. "I still wouldn't mind a pat on the back or something for all the shit I'm doing for this village though."

A hand thumps itself against her back and in the moment of startle, she emits a squeak and stumbles forward.

"What the hell?" she glares.

"There's your pat on the back." Shisui grins.

"I didn't mean it literally." Kimiko mumbles but she's smiling too.

"What do you think Itachi would want for his birthday?" The random question causes her eyebrows to furrow in confusion.

"Our birthday's still at least a month away."

"Yeah but it turns out I'm going to have to miss it for a mission. Kirigakure's getting a little too close for comfort."

"Ah, I see. Well, perhaps you could get Itachi a new set of history books to replace the ones you destroyed."

"Oi, that was an accident! It's not my fault he left them so close to our spar-hey, how about that?" His attention is diverted by the item on display in the passing shop .

Kimiko turns to look at what he sees.

A necklace.

She comes to a chilling realization.

The same necklace that Itachi wore during his Akatsuki days, if not startlingly close.

Kimiko shudders, that chilling realization continuing to sit in her chest for a moment longer while Shisui runs into buy it.

_That necklace..__._

He comes back out a few minutes later, the little black box nicely sealed.

"Think he'll like it?"

"Yeah, I think he will." She answers honestly.

_That necklace..._

_That future..._

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Thirteen.

The new age feels like a breath of air being sucked out of her.

An age that's supposed to be full of celebration. The day where one officially became a teenager and was no longer a child.

But she had stopped being a child nearly two decades ago. And this age meant nothing but celebration and only signaled that chaos was drawing near.

Still, she forces a joyful smile as the cake her mother has made is cut and presents are handed out.

From her to Itachi is a custom made ninjatō with the only two English words she's let him know engraved on the handle.

His name on one side and on the other, her own.

This clearly surprises him because the last time he had asked if she could share her native language, she had refused so adamantly, almost desperately even, because it was hers. It was hers and no one else's.

The one thing still connecting her to that other place now gone. The one thing connecting her to what would forever be out of her grasp.

_It was also the one thing that connected her to the same place she was trying to bury and forget._

From Itachi to her are simply several coupons to her favorite dango shop along with a box of assorted tea.

From her mother is the next book to the series she hasn't had time to read.

From her father, a brand new katana to replace the one that was destroyed on her mission last week.

From little Sasuke is a linen scented candle. "Kaa-chan told me it was your favorite!"

The smile becomes a little less forceful.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Later on, she and Itachi, who Anko had forced to come, are snatched away to join the rest of her friends for another party.

"Just because you're killing yourself with two jobs doesn't mean you get to be too busy for us on your birthday."

The rest of the night is spent with Gai still attempting to force Kakashi into another challenge, a tipsy Anko mercilessly continuing to work her way into Itachi's personal space just to watch him squirm (_which she later has to intervene in out of pity). _Asuma and Kurenai sitting in the far corner talking quietly to each other, Haru joking around besides her as they watch the whole thing.

Everything feels so warm.

She almost feels like crying.

But she holds it in because she's Kimiko Uchiha. There's no time for a break down.

Not to mention it'd be rude to cry while eating the dinner Haru's treated her to.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

A few more months go by and around comes the next birthday that greets her after her family's.

The birthday that nobody else would celebrate because they are too busy mourning.

However, in his house, there's a big white banner, streamers, and balloons about the room.

A small, chocolate flavored cake big enough for two with strawberries on top is on the table as the ice cream melts besides it, too busy to be eaten in favor of ripping open presents instead.

"A week's supply of premium ramen? You're the best!"

But the excitement soon fades, the music slowly dies down, and the sun sets, coloring the sky dark and vibrant shades of pink.

Kimiko ushers him to bed and begins to clean up the mess.

The water starts to run and she stares at her colorful reflection in the bubbles.

So pretty, so fragile.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

When Kimiko hears him snoring, she closes the book, kisses his forehead, and turns out the light before sneaking out the door into the kitchen. Once there's a steaming cup of tea in her hands, and the other seat at the table is occupied, she opens her mouth to talk. To release the conscious gnawing guilt she can release to no one else.

This is, after all, also the anniversary of their deaths and her failure.

"Do you think if I had told him, at least warned one of them, they'd both still be alive today?"

Of course she knows the answer to all her questions but telling herself in her head and hearing it from another physical being isn't even remotely the same.

The older girl before her answers, long, wavy, brown hair obscuring one of her chocolate colored eyes. "And risk changing the future even more along with getting hauled into T&I?"

"Minato would have kept it a secret."

"But he'd never be able to look at you the same and you feared that."

"Even then, you knew very well that Minato's survival as hokage and both of their survivals as Naruto's parents would have caused a tidal wave rather than a ripple... the Uchiha's survival is the same, only this time, you'll be old enough to handle the wave. Although, with the future ahead of you and the plans you have, it'll be tricky for you to keep up."

"Even if the future no longer became predictable, at least people would have been happy."

"But you don't know that. Your actions can create different effects than you expect. People who were happy could just have easily become sad instead."

Kimiko purses her lips and sighs. "It's probably a bad sign I'm being reasoned with by a past version of myself."

"A past version, huh? I suppose that's accurate enough but I'm not really gone, Kimiko."

Kimiko gives a wry smile. "I never said you were. Just your body is, Robin."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

An hour before midnight. There are no noises. She's sound asleep, slanted over the table.

All the decorations aside from the confetti are still there. She'd clean it up in the morning when she had to wake up anyways.

The night is peaceful for once.

_But it only takes one person to take a single action that can disrupt everything._

Her eyes snap open and she stumbles from her chair._ She fell asleep._ Someone's triggered the silent trap by the door. There's someone in the house.

She suppresses her chakra, concealing her presence, and squeezes the metal handle in her hands.

The unknown chakra is downstairs in the living room now, too close to the kitchen. _Too close to his room._

Judging by the chakra, it's a ninja but not too high in skill. That part's painfully obvious when a kunai is already at their throat without struggle.

A quick analyzation. Male, middle aged, hardly chunin level at most.

"Who-"

"Silence. Wake him and I'll kill you." Her voice is deadly serious. She can faintly make out his eyes moving to look at her in the darkness.

"Release me you traitorous bitch." He spits out in a harsh whisper and she hesitates from commanding him to shut up again. "I won't let you protect that demon brat just so you Uchiha can control it- **_Ack_!**"

She delivers a cruel punch to his gut and pushes his face to the floor, already wrapping rope around his wrist and gagging him. "I thought I said to be silent."

She grits her teeth in irritation before clicking her tongue, hauling his weak, struggling form up from the ground. "Tch."

Good thing Naruto was a deep sleeper.

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

_"Who do you come here for?" Kakashi had once asked._

_It had been a fairly reasonable question since the war had ended only a few years after she was born._

_"Nobody in particular."_

_YahikoNagatoKonanObitoRinMinatoKushinaKozu-senseiIkoru-_

_"I just grieve for those who have been lost."_

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"You're here rather early." Kakashi notes as he strolls in.

"I could say the same to you since you're here."

"I have a mission in an hour. What's you're excuse for being here two in the morning with... is that a cup of hot chocolate?"

A long sip is taken from the mug. "I took down a low rank idiot that broke into Naruto's home last night. I left a clone in the apartment since I couldn't go back to sleep or stay there restlessly."

"Did he do any damage?"

"Not to Naruto." She mutters. "According to reports, there hadn't been an attack in years so I let my guard down. I should have at least expected the possibility of it, especially considering the day."

"You can't blame yourself for this. Many had thought things had died down a bit."

"I thought so too. Even then, it was stupid of me to have only put in a sensory trap."

"Maa, luckily nothing unfortunate happened. We'll just have to up the security for next time."

"If people are smart there won't be a next time."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Mikoto frowns in confusion at the silence as she sets the groceries for dinner down. Even if Kimiko was away on yet another mission, the house shouldn't have been so silent.

"Sasuke? Itachi?"

The reason as to why there is no answer is soon revealed when she enters the living room to the three bodies that lay on the couch.

In the middle of both brothers is Kimiko, head inclined downwards and a book limply being held in her hands.

On the left lays Sasuke, curled deep into his sister's side.

On the right lays Itachi, who is in a similar position as his twin but without the book and arms loosely crossed instead.

Mikoto smiles and carefully takes the book out of her eldest child's hands before placing the previously discarded bookmark in and setting it aside.

"Tale of an Utterly Gutsy Ninja?" She questions before pulling a blanket over them. "Who wrote this?"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Excuse me sir," Kimiko gently clamps a hand on his shoulder, subtly cutting off Ueki, the other officer she's patrolling with alongside Tekka, from slamming the suspect to the ground. "you're currently a suspect in a crime being investigated. Would you mind coming to Headquarters with us?"

Tekka takes him away and she turns to Ueki. "Please remember to follow our investigative procedures. Violence will only make us seem rough to the public."

"Yes ma'am."

She smiles for a different reason than he thinks.

Authority was such a nice thing to own...

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"You look like hell." Haru comments as he pulls out a chair at their regular spot outside the small café.

"Thanks," she replies dryly, sipping dully on her smoothy.

He offers a sympathetic ear. "Anything you want to talk about or is it clan matters again?"

Her shoulders sag and she runs a tired hand through her hair. "Unfortunately, there's nothing below Anbu level information I can really disclose to you. I admit everything's a little hard to deal with at the moment but you shouldn't worry," she offers him a weak but reassuring smile. "Things will settle down soon."

A determined look settles on her face and she pumps an arm up. "Enough about things I can't talk about. More importantly, how's it been going with that Emiko girl you've been telling me about?"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

_"I'm very troubled by the suspicion cast upon the Uchiha Clan."_

_"So am I."_

_"I'm hoping that my clan and the village will be able to trust each other again. Will you assign this mission to me?"_

_"Do you want to be released from your regular duties?"_

_"Yes. And I'd like to be given a certain amount of authority."_

_"All right. Let's say I ordered you in a top-secret investigation mission. If anyone objects, tell them my name, and I will take full responsibility,"_

_"Thank you."_

_"You remind me so much of my old friend, Kagami Uchiha."_

_"I am no where near his caliber."_

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Dissatisfaction towards the Village his growing among the Uchiha. If the Village doesn't change, the Uchiha won't stand for it anymore."

"If the village changes, so will the Uchiha."

"But if the village doesn't change neither will the Uchiha. As long as the two sides distrust each other, things will only get worse."

"Then I'll change the Uchiha Clan before it gets worse" Her declaration can be heard clearly over the roar of the waterfall after remaining quiet for so long.

"How?" Shisui asks.

"Simple, I'll talk with father."

"What?"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"They ordered you to spy on me?" She asks after Itachi leaves.

"I'm afraid so. You and I both know why."

"I know. They don't suspect Itachi, do they?"

"Not yet."

"And if I do my job right, not ever."

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

"What?! Do you know what day tomorrow is?"

"I do tou-san but-"

"You don't understand your own position!"

"This is a mission I can't reschedule. It's top secret."

"Kimiko, you alongside Itachi serve as the pipeline to the nerve center of the village. Lately, your actions have been questionable,"

_Sometimes it seems hard for the clan to trust someone who acts more sided with the village than the clan._

"but the clan still depends on you. Bear this in mind and show up with Itachi tomorrow."

_But her position, support, and growing power is what helps them put that doubt aside._

She casts a smile to ease her mother's worried face along with the atmosphere. "I understand tou-san. I'll do my best to fix what needs to be fixed. I still might be a bit late though."

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><p>.<p>

She wants to collapse.

Quit both her jobs to take a long deserved vacation in... she didn't even know. Maybe the Land of Tea?

But no, she has to work her ass off for both the village and the clan to keep them from killing each other off.

How lucky it was for everybody that she had precious people here.

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><p>.<p>

"Do you really think you can talk him out of it?"

"I have to try Shisui, and I'd like to think I have the best shot out of anyone else in succeeding."

"But what if it doesn't work? What if you can't talk him out of it?"

"Then I'd like for you to use your Kotoamatsukami. I know it's a lot for me to ask but..."

"I understand. But before you talk to him, there's something you need to know. It's what they might be planning. I'm not sure whether or not it's true but this is what I heard."

He leans closer to whisper in her and anger overwhelms her surprise.

As** if **she'd let them do that.

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><p>.<p>

Itachi frowns at the sight of her. She hasn't even noticed his presence yet.

In the corner is a small stack of half finished police paperwork. Scattered across her desk are papers, scrolls, what appears to be some form of data.

It was all in that language he couldn't decipher, no matter how much he researched, again.

He watches her continue to hastily scribble things down, glancing back at different papers occasionally, for a few seconds more before speaking.

"Kimiko."

She stiffens microscopically before returning to her work. "I'm not finished yet."

"You need to rest."

"I can rest later when I have the time."

"I don't understand why you need to do all of this but you still need to take care of yourself. Let me help."

Her lips press tightly together in disagreement. "I can't. This is really something nobody can help me with, even if I want them to."

She sounds more like she's trying to convince herself rather than him.

"You can't do whatever it is you're doing when you're struggling just to stay awake. You have to-"

Her pen can be heard clattering against the table and she stands up abruptly, almost knocking her chair back in the process.

With a harsh whisper, she speaks. "You don't understand." The next words are raw with emotion before she's able to bring herself under control. "_I can't-_ I can't let this happen."

Every possibility needs to be thought of, she can't afford to miss anything.

His jaw clenches. She may have thought it was her job alone to stop everything but it wasn't. He and Shisui were here too.

"It's not just you. You have to remember that you have others who can help you. You can't shoulder everything alone. Otherwise, you will undoubtedly fail."

Kimiko look at him with an indescribable emotion on her face before suddenly, she bursts out into stifled laughter.

Itachi stares at her.

She waves a hand in front of her as she is bent over, simultaneously trying to smother her fit behind her palm before calming down. "I-I'm sorry. I think the stress is really getting to me. I just- I just didn't think you'd ever be telling _me_ that."

He frowns. "I don't understand."

"You don't have to, I can't explain it either way. But thanks anyways, I needed that."

"I don't even know what I did."

"That's okay, you don't have to know. It just matters that you did it."

Itachi resists the urge to sigh again. Whenever his sister wasn't normal, she was just strange.

"Are you really going to try and directly change his mind?" He asks, getting back to the more serious topic at hand.

"I have to and I will."

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><p>.<p>

Tension fills the room as she sits across from him, going straight to the point.

"You can't launch a Coup d'état."

His eyes hardly widen and his response is firm. "Why not?"

But the message that exchanges through their eyes are clear.

_'So you joined their side.'_

_'I had to. You left me no other choice.'_

"Because it isn't the best nor the right answer to the problem at hand."

"What else do you suggest we do to regain our right within the village?"

"Talk to Hiruzen, work harder to gain the village's trust, anything but carrying out the trigger to the next war."

"Work harder to gain the village's trust? That's-"

"Doable, hard, not impossible, and necessary if we want to keep the clan from _slaughter_." Kimiko stressed.

"I know that you're smart enough to know that even if the entire Uchiha clan went against the village, we would be swarmed by their numbers. Based on that, the only possible way to succeed is with a plan that would signficantly help increase the odds created by you and a few selected people without the majority of the clan's knowledge, including my own."

Judging by his face he's giving, her guess is right on the money.

"And when putting myself in your position," Kimiko continues riskily. "I came up with numerous of ways to gain power and the advantage in an attempt to overthrow a stronger force. Though I sincerely hope that any option I have thought of is not one that you have chosen."

Fugaku wisely remains silent for a heartbeat before carrying on the discussion. "The Uchiha Clan is only doing what they can to earn their rightful place back in the village. It is the fault of the village for not trusting us. We did not cause the Kyuubi incident and yet the blame is misplaced because the council ordered us to protect the village."

"You know that is only an added cause. We were not trusted to help fight the Kyuubi because it was an Uchiha's sharingan who controlled him. Neither side knows who, as no one was powerful enough to do so, and having the village destroyed because of an unknown member from our clan does cause quite a bit of distrust.

"That is not our fault-"

"None of us are at fault for the past, we will only be at fault for now." Kimiko shoots back. "Everything we do is for the clan but all I see is arrogance and selfishness. What about the village we, the Uchiha, helped create? It is our job to protect our home and the future generations from harm so that this village may continue standing strong. I am aware that at the moment, things may not be fair. I _know _things aren't fair but when this is over, nobody who is left will listen to or obey us unless we wish to go as low as to rule by fear."

She takes her stand and moves towards the door, lingering there for a few seconds to look back at him.

For a moment, she looks pained, pleading, and almost begging but that is short lived as it flashes back to solemn.

"Is the clan really prepared to do anything to prove themselves as superior? They may not know the costs but you do. You know what will happen if you do this. Itachi has already been scared by the horrors caused by war, don't let that happen to Sasuke too. Don't make them go through this when there are other options. Don't let everything crumble. I want you to remember that if you pick that path in the end," her eyes flicker to the sharingan. The expression on her face now making her seem dangerous, anxious. "I will not be with or against you and the same goes for the rest of the village, but I will resort to anything I need to resort to.

A pause to let the promise sink in and a reminder. "I'll be attending this week's clan meeting. Please think about your decision."

"Wait."

She freezes, her breath stopping short and red eyes grow large with surprise.

"You are to report to me tomorrow. You are dismissed."

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><p>.<p>

**Resort: The action of turning to and adopting a strategy or course of action, esp. a disagreeable or undesirable one, so as to resolve a difficult situation.**


	7. Memory

**Chapter 7: Personality**

**Adapt: to adjust oneself to different conditions, enviorments, etc.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Naruto._

_._

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><p><em>.<em>

_Your surroundings,_

_your enviorment,_

_what you look like,_

_what you perceive and do,_

_who you interact with,_

_who you make and cut off bonds with,_

_every single thing that happens to you shapes who you are._

_._

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><p>.<p>

Long ago, there was a girl named Robin Whithers.

Seventeen years of life had shaped her into a being simple enough.

And then her body died because of a car coming too fast.

Her soul and mind, however, had moved on to a new body.

_A new body that shouldn't have existed on so many different levels._

And with that new body, came a new alias, and a new, entirely different surrounding that was going to continue shaping her in place of her old world now lost.

And in this new world she discovered how different things were.

It was safer yet had more danger.

It was kinder yet crueler.

It was beautiful yet ugly.

It had so much hope and potential,

yet it had so much despair and disappointment.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

_This was the world where Robin Whithers had to adapt if she wanted to survive._

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* * *

><p>.<p>

As Robin Whithers, she was a simple person who liked to take things easy.

She developed a small social life, did her work, got good grades, and slowly glided through the years.

She didn't like involving herself in problems that weren't her own nor extended outside of her friends and family.

She liked to think of herself as kind and considerate but she knew she had less favorable qualities too.

And just like every other human being, she was selfish and uncaring to her own extent.

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* * *

><p><em>.<em>

_In hindsight, she shouldn't have run. She should have just stayed frozen on the sidewalk._

_But seeing that six year old boy run into that street to chase after his ball with such a childish, happy smile on his face, unaware of the car oncoming just forced her legs to move on auto pilot._

_She wanted to live, go to college, achieve the status of girlfriend, get married, see the world, survive. She didn't want to die, naturally fearing death like every other being did at some point._

_But imagining that once the car hit it's upcoming mark, those naive and unknowing eyes would go lifeless._

_Imagining that small form never growing up to see the world._

_Imagining that another set of parents would hear the news and shed heartbroken, devestated tears._

_And knowing that it would be her fault for not doing the right thing was unbearable._

_She was too selfless, too considerate, too human._

_._

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

_She was also too selfish, too inconsiderate, and too human._

_Because it occurred to her that her parents and brother would shed heartbroken, devestated tears too._

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* * *

><p>.<p>

This was the world Kimiko Uchiha was born into.

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* * *

><p>.<p>

_As Kimiko Uchiha, she was everything that Robin Whithers was._

_Except she had taken on a new status, new expectations, and eventually had to become different than the girl who once was Robin Whithers._

_Whatever memories of anything dear to her in the past, had vanished. Faded away._

_That made it easier._

_All the trivial things, however, such as her name, her age, education life, hobbies, morality, dreams and plans for her future, had stayed for whatever reason unknown._

_On some days, she almost wished they would burn away into forgettable ash forever like everything else did. __Sometimes though, the things that had burned would try to put themselves back together._

_But they'd never succeed in doing so._

_She'd have dreams of faces, of people, of old memories. Nothing clear, all vague._

_Then they'd fade..._

_But sometimes she'd remember them._

_It made her happy, sad, and filled her with nostalgia all at once._

_._

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

_Sure everything precious to her in the past had disappeared but they'd been replaced by new friends and new family of the present._

_These people were different though._

_These people were the ones she cared about more than anything else._

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* * *

><p>.<p>

Her eyes opened slowly.

_A dream...? _

Sunlight shined down in scattered piece across her body, the majority of it being blocked by the leaves and branches above her.

Kimiko squinted her eyes shut when some of it shined directly upon them.

She shifted and moved over, peering up at the blue sky with white clouds drifting slowly across.

The grass around the section she laid on was forced sideways as a small breeze traveled through.

For a moment, everything was quiet.

"Kimiko?" Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him coming towards her.

Someone else flashed through her head and she muttered a name subconsciously. _"Jason..."_

A hand placed itself in front of her vision and she moved her head to meet onyx eyes.

"Kimiko, everyone's waiting." He said.

"They are?" She asked softly, reaching out to take his hand.

Itachi hoisted her up and his dark orbs transitioned over to the something that had caught his eye. His lips twitched in amusement and he raised his hand to pluck a piece of grass from her hair. "You need to stop sleeping outside."

She looked at him and for a moment, his eyes weren't dark, like her own bottomless pits. They were brown.

His hair wasn't neat or black, it was short, shaggy, and the color of milk chocolate.

A voice played through her mind.

_"You gotta stop taking naps all the time. Jeez, you're so lazy."_

The image disappeared just as quickly and her moment of unfocus passed by unseen.

She grinned. "And miss a perfect day like this? I think not."

_Another memory?_

He gave a soft sigh before turning around. "I figured as much. Anyways, we should hurry or else Shisui will get to his surprise party before we do. And then you'll be late to the party you arranged because of a poorly timed nap."

_"But I get tired after school Jason. What better way to fix that and pass the time than take a nap?"_

_Is that me...? No, that's not me. That's not my voice._

"I'll make sure to schedule my naps more accordingly then. Either way, Haru said he'd keep Shisui busy long enough for us to make it and we still have twenty minutes even now."

"Better safe than sorry." Itachi responded.

_"Make sure you get home on time or mom'll be mad."_

_"It's fine,__ I can take my time and still get home just before dark."_

_"Still, better safe than sorry."_

_"Alright Jason."_

"That's true..."

His eyebrows creased marginally at her distracted gaze but he said nothing as she pushed off the floor, only following in pursuit.

She pressed her lips together in frustration and annoyance.

_Jason...? Who was Jason?_

Her vexed thoughts were interrupted when he began going ahead of her rather than remaining by her side.

She frowned and picked up her speed a little.

He quickened his pace and when she looked at him, he was still staring straight ahead.

_What was he doing?_

The confused frown increased and she channeled some more chakra to her legs.

He does the same and the confusion slowly morphed into a grin when she finally caught on.

The hurried jumping turns into lightning fast sprinting.

While in the lead, a smile twitched at his lips. "Nee-san," He stated loud enough for her to hear. "at this rate you'll be buying my next plate of dango."

_Jason...? Who cared who Jason was?_

Kimiko looked at his turned back.

No Jason. Just Itachi.

"As if Otouto!"

.

* * *

><p>.<p>

**Memory: the ability of the mind to store and recall past sensations, thought, knowledge, etc.**

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><p><strong>.<strong>

**A/N: **Woo! First author note in the main story. Okay, here we go.

First of all, yes. I know it's short but despite that, what did you guys think? If there's any mistakes, my bad. I went over it a lot myself but chances are I missed something.

I swear, every chapter is like "Oh my god. Did I miss anything? Does everything look okay? Okay, okay, I've gone over it. I think it's good. This chapter is a go."

_*holds breath while clicking the post new chapter button*_

Second, I am so sorry to tell you all but please do not expect the next chapter until at least mid March, if not late February. I'll try my very best to get it done as quickly as possible but I haven't had time to write everything out. Not to mention I had finals all last week to top it off. Again super sorry about my lack of free time.

Thank you very much to all my understanding followers, reviewers, fans, and others!

Love you guys!

~kuraiame16

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**kimchi759: **Thank you so much for your constructive reviews. I can't believe I made all those silly mistakes. I think I've fixed most of the gramar errors but I might have missed one or two. I'm still working on it. Again, thank you so much for pointing them out to me. As for your questions, A) Kimiko met Tenzo in Anbu. B) Ikoru's impossible dream was mentioned in chapter 2. To become the strongest of the Uchiha clan and rule it. I don't know exactly how things worked but I imagine that with enough support or if you had the balls to challenge the current clan head to a duel for the right, you could become clan head. C) Itachi and Kimiko are very close, being twins and all that. They both care about and trust each other other greatly. Both would risk their lives for each other. As shown, Kimiko is willing to sacrifice and shoulder everything that Itachi would have in canon for him. Itachi also displays his concerns for her and makes sure to add in his gentle criticisms. That's all I have for now but I'm going to reveal more about their current relationship in the oncoming chapter. I'm also going to refrain from telling you about their combat strengths and weaknesses because there's another thing or two I'm going to add in the next chapter about Kimiko's skills.


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